USPS offers pictorial postmark commemorating U.S. entry into World War I

Apr 23, 2017, 1 PM

An April 22-23 postmark from Comstock, Mich., commemorating the 100th anniversary of the United States entry into World War I.

Postmark Pursuit — By Michael Baadke

The United States entered World War I when Congress declared war on Germany on April 6, 1917, almost two years after the Great War began on the European continent and at sea.

A postmark commemorating the U.S. entry into the war is offered by the U.S. Postal Service in association with the April 22-23 stamp show held by the Kalamazoo Stamp Club in Kalamazoo, Mich.

The artwork on the square or diamond-shape postmark shows a WWI-era biplane in flight with rocky peaks in the background. Three stars are featured in the upper point of the postmark. The inscription commemorates “U.S. ENTRY WW1,” and “100th anniversary station” in Comstock, Mich.

At this time, the U.S. Postal Service has not revealed any plans to issue postage stamps commemorating the 100th anniversary of U.S. involvement in the First World War.

Collectors should be able to find past U.S. stamps that fit well with this commemorative postmark, including the 50¢ Eddie Rickenbacker stamp issued in 1995 (Scott 2998), the 55¢ Billy Mitchell stamp issued in 1999 (3330), or stamps from the 2000 Distinguished Soldiers set (3393-3396), the 2005 Distinguished Marines set (3961-3964), or the 2010 Distinguished Sailors set (4440-4443). Stamps from these later sets would require additional postage to make up the current 49¢ letter rate, as would the 22¢ World War I Veterans stamp issued in 1985 (2154).

To obtain the U.S. Entry into World War I postmark, address your request to: